Should parents lose custody of super obese kids?

[Ash1280]

**Not sure if this topic belongs here in this section but...**


Should parents lose custody of super obese kids?
LINDSEY TANNER
(The Associated Press)

05:05:59AM (DST) Wednesday,July 13,2011.

CHICAGO (AP) — Should parents of extremely obese children lose custody for not controlling their kids' weight? A provocative commentary in one of the nation's most distinguished medical journals argues yes, and its authors are joining a quiet chorus of advocates who say the government should be allowed to intervene in extreme cases.
It has happened a few times in the U.S., and the opinion piece in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association says putting children temporarily in foster care is in some cases more ethical than obesity surgery.
Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity specialist at Harvard-affiliated Children's Hospital Boston, said the point isn't to blame parents, but rather to act in children's best interest and get them help that for whatever reason their parents can't provide.
State intervention "ideally will support not just the child but the whole family, with the goal of reuniting child and family as soon as possible. That may require instruction on parenting," said Ludwig, who wrote the article with Lindsey Murtagh, a lawyer and a researcher at Harvard's School of Public Health.
More-->Online:
JAMA: http://jama.ama-assn.org
Pediatrics: http://www.pediatrics.org
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* Do we punish the parent(s) by getting their kids away from them ?
The child may have trouble dealing with moving away from family.
Is this a good thing to do ?
I understand this topic(similar) has been discussed but childhood obesity has reached a critical stage.
What about later life as adults ?
This may continue through which may trigger type 2 diabetes.
Comments ? *

 

[Niamh]

Well, imo, It's part of a parents job to teach a child how to eat properly and leaving your child get obese because of how much and what they're eating is, imo, a form of child abuse. They're setting them up for a lifetime of health issues, bullying and possibly shortening their life. So, I think in extreme cases maybe they should, as a last resort though. Maybe they should have some help first, to try and help them to change the patterns they've gotten their child into

 

[porterjack]

Every case on it's own merits but if parents have had counselling and no sign of positive results then yes they lose custody. Is not about punishing parents, moreover in the best interests of the child

 

[Joe the meek]

And what do they propose to do with the children once taken into custody?

Does anyone realize how many children are currently in foster homes that can't find families?

 

[porterjack]

And what do they propose to do with the children once taken into custody?

Does anyone realize how many children are currently in foster homes that can't find families?

They would not be looking for another family, this is a temp measure to help obese kids learn to make better choices concerning diet and exercise

 

[Niamh]

And what do they propose to do with the children once taken into custody?

Does anyone realize how many children are currently in foster homes that can't find families?

a better idea would be to help the parents to change the way they feed there kids but if they're endangering the childs life by making them obese with no desire to change things, it's a form of abuse, would you not agree?

 

[Defiant Tuesday]

IMO, I do not think obesity merits taking a happy child out of a loving home and into foster care.

 

[Abcinthia]

Every case on it's own merits but if parents have had counselling and no sign of positive results then yes they lose custody. Is not about punishing parents, moreover in the best interests of the child

Yeah I agree - the parents need education and counselling and an extreme measure like losing custody should only be a last resort.

Whenever I've watched documentaries about really obese children, it's always struck me that the parents seem to think giving a 3 year a massive pizza is showing them love. They need to learn how much food is appropriate, the kinds of food children should be consuming (eg not giving a baby a bottle full of coke. I see parents do that so often and it really makes my teeth itch) and that continually giving a child large quantities of food does not equal love or make them a good parent.

 

[Joe the meek]

a better idea would be to help the parents to change the way they feed there kids but if they're endangering the childs life by making them obese with no desire to change things, it's a form of abuse, would you not agree?

The united states court system takes separating a child from its mother very seriously. Terrmination of parental rights does not come lightly and usually takes time. Then there is the question of funding and where does the money come from to take care of the child?

I have always held to the notion that not every person should have a child just because they can.

It can always be argued that people need education before they have children.

 

[Panacea]

Every case on it's own merits but if parents have had counselling and no sign of positive results then yes they lose custody. Is not about punishing parents, moreover in the best interests of the child

These are my exact thoughts.
My ultimate goal in this counseling degree is to one day obtain certification as a nutritionist, and work with overweight/obese individuals as a diet planner/coach.

As with everything, in my opinion, set people up for success. Give them the tools, "teach a man to fish". If they don't improve the situation from there, or reach for help when they fail, they must not want to change the situation.

With kids involved, I consider this scenario abuse.

 

[Niamh]

The united states court system takes separating a child from its mother very seriously. Terrmination of parental rights does not come lightly and usually takes time. Then there is the question of funding and where does the money come from to take care of the child?

I have always held to the notion that not every person should have a child just because they can.

It can always be argued that people need education before they have children.

I understand that and tbf I think over feeding and feeding the wrong types of food is mostly done out of a misjudged action of love so I would imagine that these parents would want to change if they were properly educated on how much harm they're actually doing their child.

 

[Panacea]

I understand that and tbf I think over feeding and feeding the wrong types of food is mostly done out of a misjudged action of love so I would imagine that these parents would want to change if they were properly educated on how much harm they're actually doing their child.

It's true, usually total indulgence and a lack of control over the child's demands. "He cries for the twenty hotdogs and cake!!! What can I do??"

They may not stop, even knowing the scale of the harm done (I'm sure a lot of them know being obese isn't healthy), until they learned how to teach discipline better. For some parents, a quiet child is better than a healthy child

 

[Kyle B]

Taking a child from their parents because they're obese is absurd. That would be traumatic for both the family and child, not to mention cruel.

There are other ways to solve the obesity problem.

 

[Joe the meek]

I understand that and tbf I think over feeding and feeding the wrong types of food is mostly done out of a misjudged action of love so I would imagine that these parents would want to change if they were properly educated on how much harm they're actually doing their child.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to know that a fat kid is unhealthy.

One time I took a twelve year old down the upper gauley kayaking. Kid was good, not a problem, but it could be argued by some that his dad was endangering his child by having him on a river that could kill him.

Where do you draw the line?

I believe that an obese child by itself does not cross that line.

 

[Niamh]

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to know that a fat kid is unhealthy.

One time I took a twelve year old down the upper gauley kayaking. Kid was good, not a problem, but it could be argued by some that his dad was endangering his child by having him on a river that could kill him.

Where do you draw the line?

I believe that an obese child by itself does not cross that line.

I really don't think the two are comparable tbh, you could get in a car crash when driving your child to school etc etc but making your child obese will cause serious problems for your child, there is no doubt about that. And I think it is child abuse if, after being educated on the dangers of what the parent is doing and showing them how and what to be feeding them, they still continue the behaviour. And I'm not talking about kids who are a bit chubby here, I'm talking about obese children, there is a difference.

 

[Joe the meek]

I really don't think the two are comparable tbh, you could get in a car crash when driving your child to school etc etc but making your child obese will cause serious problems for your child, there is no doubt about that. And I think it is child abuse if, after being educated on the dangers of what the parent is doing and showing them how and what to be feeding them, they still continue the behaviour. And I'm not talking about kids who are a bit chubby here, I'm talking about obese children, there is a difference.

I happen to agree with you, but I believe the court system would not, and I can understand why.

Personally, I think parents who let their children ride ATV's or skateboards without helmets should be taken away from their parents custody, but the court system would not agree with me.

 

[Panacea]

Technically, the health ramifications of a child being super obese are lesser than having a broken arm from abuse. I agree that removal from the home isn't something that should be considered in most cases, just saying though.

 

[Niamh]

I happen to agree with you, but I believe the court system would not, and I can understand why.

Personally, I think parents who let their children ride ATV's or skateboards without helmets should be taken away from their parents custody, but the court system would not agree with me.

lol, yeah, that won't happen! Neither will this mind you but it is just my thoughts on it!

 

[Joe the meek]

lol, yeah, that won't happen! Neither will this mind you but it is just my thoughts on it!

I've come to learn that there is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. The sad fact is there is no law against stupid people having children.

 

[Niamh]

I've come to learn that there is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. The sad fact is there is no law against stupid people having children.

haha, so true!